Corner post



P 1967 P. R. SELTMAN 3,315,867

CORNER POST Filed Aug. 31, 1964 Fle-7 36 INVENTOR. PAUL R. SELTMAN.

BY ?L TTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,315,867 CORNER POST Paul R. Seltman, Florence, Ky., assignor to Crescet Paper Tube Company, Inc., Florece, Ky., a corporation of Ketucky Filed Aug. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 393,043 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) This invention relates to support stru 'ctures for use in containers or the like and, more particularly, to the Construction of a corner post for supporting the walls of a container or the like and a method of making the corner post.

Containers made of light weight material such as cardboard, for example, and especially collapsibl'e containers, require additional support to maintain the walls of the container in the desired relationship. The support structures are particularly useful when containers are to be stacked in vertical relation on top of each other.

Various types of corner post structures have been ernployed :for supporting the walls of containers. The prior corner -post supports have either utilized material of heavy weight in comparison with the weight of the container or have employed shapes, which utilize more of the space of the container than desired.

The present invention elimnates the foregoing problems by providing a light weight corner post and utilizing a minimum amount of space in the corner of the container in which the corner post is disposed.

An object of this invention is to provide a corner post for use `with containers or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for formin-g corner posts for supporting containers or the like.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are :apparent upon a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the drawing forming part thereof and `wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hollow cylindrical member from which two corner posts of the present invention are formed.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the next step in forming the structure of FIGURE 1 into two corner posts.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan View illustrating the next step in forming the corner post of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a p erspective View of the forrned corner post of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the corner post of the present invention and taken along the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is :a perspective View of a container including the corner posts of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view, p-artly in plan, of a portion of the structure of FIGURE '6 and taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIGURE 1, there is shown a hollow cylindrical member 10. The member 10 is preferably formed of cardboard although it may be formed of any other suitable material, 'which is light weight and capable of being bent.

As shown !in FIGURE 2, the hollow cylindrical member 10 is divided into two semi-circular portions 12 and 14 'by cuttin g the hollow cylindrical member 10 along its length at dametri cally opposed portions. Each of the portions 12 and .14 forms a corner post for supporting the vertical walls of a container.

The portion 14 is cut or scored :along its entire length as indicated at 16. This cut or score is 'disposed an equal distance from each of the ends of the portion 14 to divide the portion 14 into two curved or arcuate portions 18 and 20. 'The curved portions 18 and 20 are substantial-ly the same width and are of the same length. The cut or score extends sufiiciently through the thickness of the portion 14 so that the connection between the two curved portions 18 and 20, which are formed by the score or cut, is thin in comparison with the depth of the cut or score.

The portion 12 is cut or scored along its entire length as indicated at 22 at an-equal distance from each of its ends. The cut or score in the portion 12 also extends substantially through the thickness thereof to produce a thin connection between the two curved portions, which are formed by the score or cut.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the portion 14 is shown in its position of FIGURE 2 in dot-dash lines wherein the concave side of the curved portion 18 faces the concave side of the curved portion 20. The curved portions 18 and 20 are bent, as indicated by arrows 2 4 and 26, respectively, to a position (solid lines) in which the conveX sid es of the curved portions 18 and. 20 are contiguous to each other adjacent the common connecting edge, which is formed by the thin portion remaining after the score is formed in the semi-circular portion 14.

When the curved portions 18 and 20 have been moved to the solid line position of FIGURE 3, the curved portions -18 and 20 :are secured together by suitable means such as staples 28, for example. The staples 28 are disposed slightly inward from the common connecting edge of the portions 18 and 20. The staples 28 are spaced along the length of the semi-circular portion 14 to maintain the curved portions 18 and 20 in their desred bent relationship.

The desired bent relationship of the curved portions 18 and 20 of the formed corner post is such that edge 30 of the curved portion 20 will rest against one wall of a corner while edge 32 of the curved portion 18 will rest against the other Wall of the corner. As shown in FIG- URE 5, the edges 38 and 32 are remote from the cornmon connecting edge of the curved portions 18 and 20.

Refierring t-o FIGURES 6 and 7, there is shown a container 34 having `a plurality of connected vertical walls 36, 38, 40, :and 42 forming a rectangular cross section. The lower end of the container 34 is closed by a bottom 44 (see FIGURE 7). The container 34 is preferably for-med of a light weight material such as card board, for example.

Corner post 46 is disposed in the corner forrned by the walls 36 and 38. Corner post 48 is positioned in the corner formed by the walls 38 and 40. Corner post 50 is located in the corner formed by the walls 40 and 42. Corner post 52 is placed in the corner for-med by the walls 36 and 42.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the corner post 46 is disposed so that the common edge, which connects the curved portions 18 and 20, is positioned at the junction of the walls 36 and 38. The edge 30 of the curved portion 20 abuts against the inside of the wall 38. The edge 30 of the curved portion 20 abuts against the inside of the wall 38. The edge 32 of the curved portion 18 abuts against the interior of the wall 36. Thus, the concave side of the curved portion 18 faces the wall 36 while the concave side of the curved portion 20 faces the wall 38.

Since the curved portions 18 and 2.0 have a tendency to return to their original positions, the edges 30 and 32 tend to engage with the walls forming the corner. Accordingly, it is not necessary to secure the corner posts 46, 48, 50, and 52 to the walls of the container 34 to maintain them in position. Thus, the corner posts may be easily and quickly positioned within the container 34. If desired, the corner posts could be secured to the walls of 'the container 34 by suitable means such as glue, for example.

The corner posts 46, 48, 50, and 52 are preferably of the same length as the height of the vertical walls 36, 38, 40, and 42 of the container 34. However, it should be understood that the corner posts do not have to be exactly the same height as the walls of the container but could be slightly less if desired.

While the container 34 has been shown as rectangular in cross section, it should be understood that the corner posts of the present invention may be used with a container having any polygonal cross section. Of course, the staples 28 would have to be positioned closer to the common connecting edges of the curved portions 18 and 20 to permit the edges 30 and 32 to contact vertical walls disposed at a greater angle than 90 degrees to each other and further from the common edge of the curved portions 18 and 20 to permit the edges 30 and 32 to engage walls positioned at less than 90 degrees to each other.

Although the corner posts have been illustrated as being Originally formed from a hollow cylindrical member, it should be understood that the corner posts could be formed from semi-circular blanks and, thus, eliminate the hollow cylindrical member 10.

It will be understood that the convex surfaces of the curved portions 18 and 20 which are exposed to the interior of the container may if desired be coated with paraffin, velvet, special paper or any other material which will protect the articles placed within the container.

An advantage of this invention is that corner posts for supporting a container may be quickly formed. Another advantage of this invention is that the corner post is relatively inexpensive. A further advantage of this invention is that the corner post occupies a minimum of space in the corner of the container, which it is supporting. A still further advantage of this invention is that the corner posts may be quickly positioned within the container.

For purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. However, it will be apparent that changes and modifications in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having substantially vertical walls and being polygonal in cross section, said container having a plurality of corners, a bottom closing the lower end of said container, a corner post disposed within said container in each of said corners, each of said corner posts comprising a first curved portion and a second curved portion connected together along a common edge on their convex sides, the concave side of said first curved portion facing one of said vertical walls forming a corner of said container, the concave side of said second curved portion racing the other of said vertical walls forming said corner of said container, said first curved portion and said second curved portion having their ends at said common edge disposed at the junction of said walls, and means securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together adjacent said common edge.

2. A container having substantially vertical walls and being polygonal in cross section, said container having a plurality of corners, a bottom closing the lower end of said container, a corner post disposed within said container in each of said corners, each of said corner posts comprising a first curved portion and a second curved portion connected together along a common edge on their convex sides, the concave side of said first curved portion facing one of said vertical walls forming a corner of said container, the concave side of said second curved porti-on facing the other of said vertical walls forming said corner of said container, said first curved portion and said second curved portion having their ends at said common edge disposed at the junction of said walls, and staples securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together adjacent said common edge.

3. A container having substantially vertical walls and being polygonal in cross section, said container having a plurality of corners, a bottom closing the lower end of said container, a corner post disposed within said container in each of said corners and resting on said bottom, each of said corner posts comprising a first curved portion and a second curved portion connected together along a common edge on their convex sides, the concave side of said first curved portion facing one of said vertical walls forming a corner of said container, the concave side of said second curved portion facing the other of said vertical walls forming said corner of said container, said first curved portion and said second curved portion having their ends at said common edge disposed at the junction of said walls, and means securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together adjacent said common edge.

4. A container having substantially vertical walls and being polygonal in cross section, said container having a plurality of corners, a bottom closing the lower end of said container, a corner post disposed within said container in each of said corners and testing on said bottom, each of said corner posts comprising a first curved portion and a second curved portion connected together along a common edge on their convex sides, the concave side of said first curved portion facing one of said vertical walls forming a corner of said container, the concave side of said second curved portion facing the other of said Vertical walls forming said corner of said container, said first curved portion and said second curved portion having their ends at said common edge disposed at the junction of said walls, and staples securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together adjacent said common edge.

5. A corner post for positioning in a corner of a container or the like to provide support thereto, said corner post comprising a first elongated curved portion and a second like curved portion, each having parallel longitudinal edges, said portions being connected together along a common longitudinal edge of their convex sides, and means securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together to hold the conveX side of said first portion in contiguous relation with the convex side of said second portion adjacent said common edge, each of said curved portions being substantially a quadrant in cross-section and the other longitudinal edges being free.

6. A corner post for positioning in a corner of a container or the like to provide support thereto, said corner i post comprising a first elongated curved portion and a second like curved portion, each having parallel longitudinal edges defining a plane, said portions being connected together along a common longitudinal edge of their convex sides, means securing said first curved portion and said second curved portion together to hold one end of the convex side of said first portion in contiguous relation with one end of the conveX side of said second portion adjacent said common edge, the other longitudinal edges being free and the said plane of one curved portion being substantially normal to the said plane of the other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,786,189 12/ 1930 Bowersock.

2,019,778 11/1935 'Enholm et al.

2,691,499 10/1954 Watts.

3,129,868 4/ 1964 Jenk.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,217,841 5/ 1960 France.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, P'imary Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL WALLS AND BEING POLYGONAL IN CROSS SECTION, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CORNERS, A BOTTOM CLOSING THE LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER, A CORNER POST DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER IN EACH OF SAID CORNERS, EACH OF SAID CORNER POSTS COMPRISING A FIRST CURVED PORTION AND A SECOND CURVED PORTION CONNECTED TOGETHER ALONG A COMMON EDGE ON THEIR CONVEX SIDES, THE CONCAVE SIDE OF SAID FIRST CURVED PORTION FACING ONE OF SAID VERTICAL WALLS FORMING A CORNER OF SAID 